Known as the "first lady of television" and "queen of the small screen," Betty White made her debut in 1939. She was the first woman to produce a national TV show and to star in a sitcom thanks to her variety show, "Life with Elizabeth" (1953-1955). She was also one of the first women to be nominated for an Emmy.

She's best known for her roles on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1970-1977) and "The Golden Girls" (1985-1992), both of which earned her Emmys. She made many appearances on game shows and even hosted a few like "Just Men!" (1983); White became the first woman to win an Emmy for outstanding game show host.

She won another Emmy for her episode of "Saturday Night Live" in 2010 where she hosted and drew in over 12 million viewers. She then won a Guinness World Record for having the longest TV career as a female entertainer, spanning around 80 years.

After her death on December 31, 2021, White's legacy lives on, especially through the many female TV entertainers she's influenced and inspired.

"The Carol Burnett Show" (1967-1978) was a variety and comedy series that featured Burnett and other comedians performing various sketches. Her infectious presence, slapstick comedy, and signature ear tug were favorites across the nation. It was cited as one of the best sketch-comedy TV shows by Rolling Stone in 2020.

Burnett had a pool of entertainers like Betty White, Lucille Ball, Cher, and Sammy Davis Jr. guest star on her show, too.

Her contributions to comedy and TV have been so great that the Golden Globes created the Carol Burnett award in 2018, which has been given to Burnett, Ellen DeGeneres, Norman Lear, Ryan Murphy, and Ted Danson.

The first ever sitcom broadcast on network television was "Mary Kay and Johnny" (1947-1950) and starred real-life couple Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns. They were the first small-screen married couple to share a bed, which was taboo and uncommon, and wasn't seen more consistently for another decade.

In 1948, Stearns was pregnant, so it was written into the show, making her the first onscreen pregnant character.

Stearns died in 2018 at the age of 93.

From her start on the comedy "I Love Lucy" (1951-1957), Lucille Ball changed the world of television many times over. When "I Love Lucy" premiered, she advocated for her Cuban husband, Desi Arnaz, amidst the racist mentalities surrounding interracial relationships.

The real-life and on-screen couple created their show and filmed it in a new format: live in front of a studio audience and with three cameras rolling rather than one. Ball even helped invent syndication and was successful with "I Love Lucy" being filmed on tape, rather than being broadcast live.

Ball made TV history (similar to Mary Kay Stearns) with her second pregnancy being written into her character's storyline. In 1953, the subject almost wasn't allowed on TV, and the word "pregnancy" wasn't used either. The episode where the character gave birth was also aired the same night the actress actually gave birth, and a record-breaking near 72% of homes with television sets tuned in to watch, MeTV reported.

After co-founding Desilu Productions in 1950, divorcing Arnaz in 1960, and buying the company from him in 1962, Ball became the first woman to own and run a major television production company. It went on to produce "The Lucy Show" (1962-1968), "Star Trek" (1966-1969), and "Mission: Impossible" (1966-1973).

She died in 1989 at 77 years old.

While "I Love Lucy" primarily focused on the wife in the married duo, "The Donna Reed Show" (1958-1966) was the first family sitcom to do the same.

Donna Reed, who lived until 1986, was an Academy Award winner before she had her own TV show and helped develop the series. Reed's impact of placing the focus on the wife rather than the husband, and touching on controversial and important topics like women's rights, was all groundbreaking during the 1950s.

Roker, who died in 1995, played neighbor Hellen Willis in the "All in the Family" (1971-1979) spinoff series, "The Jeffersons" (1975-1985). The Black actress was married to a white man on the show (and also in real life), making her part of the first Black and white interracial couple on TV.

This came at a time when there were still strong prejudices against interracial relationships. But Helen and Tom were a strong and positive representation of what love could look like.

One of the first and most significant interracial kisses on TV was on "Star Trek" (1966-1969). In 1967, on an episode entitled "Plato's Stepchildren," Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) kisses Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols). 

Although interracial kisses had been seen between white and Asian characters on TV, this was the first with a white man and Black woman. Nichols made history, first breaking the typecast for Black actresses and second for being part of this significant kiss and moment in TV history. She died in 2022 at the age of 89.

The first sitcom to focus on a female lead who was single was "That Girl" (1966-1971). Living on her own, unmarried, and without children, actress Marlo Thomas' real-life experience matched that of her character, Ann Marie.

Despite few women being leads on TV before this, they were typically wives and mothers. Thomas helped represent and normalize independent, single women.

Mary Tyler Moore's most notable contributions to TV were through her role as Mary Richards on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1970-1977). A single, 30-something-year-old woman who was career-oriented and freely dated, Moore's character was distinctly different from the typical TV housewife.

She was a role model for women entering the workforce in the '70s, and was also sex-positive, something that wasn't highly represented. In one episode, it was likely the first time birth control was mentioned on television, with Richards' mother telling her, "Don't forget to take your pill," The New York Times reported.

She died in 2017 at the age of 80.

On "Murphy Brown" (1988-1998), Candice Bergen's character decided to raise her child as a single mother in the 1992 season finale. This caused a debate that even prompted Vice President Dan Quayle to comment.

On May 19, 1992, Quayle delivered a speech during his re-election campaign with George W. Bush, where he added, "It doesn't help matters when prime-time TV has Murphy Brown, a character who supposedly epitomizes today's intelligent, highly paid professional woman, mocking the importance of fathers by bearing a child alone and calling it just another lifestyle choice," The Washington Post reported.

This turned Quayle into the butt of the joke and only heightened Bergen's profile. After already winning two Emmys for her role, Bergen won a third after the pregnancy episode and after Quayle's speech — the actress sarcastically thanked him as she accepted the award.

It's not a shock that in 1972, a year before Roe v. Wade was originally decided, abortion was a highly sensitive and controversial topic, especially to be discussed on TV. So, on the sitcom "Maude" (1972-1978), when Bea Arthur's lead character became pregnant at 47 years old when she was already a grandmother, an abortion storyline was highly taboo.

Over the course of the two-part episode, Maude decided to go through with an abortion. This sparked protest, but it also made Arthur an icon for the feminist movement.

Arthur, who died in 2009, continued to take roles that defied societal and gender norms, ageism, and that touched on feminist topics, most notably as Dorothy in "Golden Girls" (1985-1992).

Cicely Tyson became the first Black woman to star in a TV drama in "East Side/West Side" (1963-1964). She played a social worker's secretary. While her character's job wasn't revolutionary for women, her representation was revolutionary for Black women. Tyson is also widely reported to be one of the first Black women to wear her natural hair on TV.

She told Parade magazine in 1972 that she refused to play a drug addict or a maid, according to the National Portrait Gallery.

"I won't play that kind of characterless role any more, even if I have to go back to starving," Tyson said.

The trailblazer died at 96 years old on January 28, 2021.

Diahann Carroll was the first Black female lead on TV in a non-stereotypical role. On "Julia" (1968-1971), Carroll was a nurse, widow, and single mother. Single mothers weren't typically represented on TV, so her role broke boundaries.

In 1969, Carroll became the first Black actress to win a Golden Globe for her performance in "Julia," the Golden Globes reported.

Earlier in her career, she also became one of the first Black actresses nominated for an Emmy.

Carroll died in 2019 at the age of 84.

The legendary choreographer, actor, director, and producer starred as Lydia Grant in the film and television adaptation of "Fame," which ran from 1982-1987.

While appearing on the show, Allen became the first Black woman to win a Golden Globe for best actress in a television series — musical or comedy in 1983, an award that wouldn't belong to a Black woman again until 34 years later when Tracee Ellis Ross won for her role in "Black-ish."

She also served as the show's lead choreographer, winning two Emmys for outstanding achievement in choreography in 1982 and 1983, respectively, and later became its director.

Allen's career has progressed to include a large range of acting, directing, producing, and choreography credits which range from projects like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Insecure" to "Dolly Parton's Christmas On The Square."

Allen has won a total of five Emmys, receiving a total of 21 nominations, Emmys.com reported.

Some of her other achievements include five NAACP Image Awards, four honorary doctorate degrees, one of which came from her alma mater Howard University; entry to the Television Academy Hall of Fame, a Governors Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Frederick, who died in 1990, had many significant firsts in her career and made impactful differences in the world of news for women. In 1948, she became the first full-time female news correspondent on ABC. This early success broke ground for other newscasters. She went on to work for NBC, where she covered the United Nations for 21 years.

In 1976 she made history again when she was the first woman to moderate a televised presidential debate. This transformative moment was for Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford's campaigns.

After writing and producing women's interest stories on the "Today" show, Walters became its first female co-anchor in 1974. She also became the first female co-anchor for ABC's "Evening News" in 1976.

She created the daytime talk show "The View" in 1997, which gives other female voices a platform and is still on the air. Walters' popularity with viewers and interviewees furthered her success. She also appeared on other shows like "World News Tonight" and "20/20" until her retirement in 2014. 

In 2022, she died at the age of 93.

Couric made TV history when she became the first woman to be a solo anchor for an evening news broadcast.

Following in the steps of Barbara Walters, Couric co-anchored for years before taking the helm in 2006 with "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" (2006-2011).

Not many people are known worldwide by their first name alone or are as successful as the one and only Oprah.

Winfrey was the first woman to own, produce, and host her own talk show with "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (1986-2011). In 1987, she won the Daytime Emmy for outstanding talk show, an award she'd win three more times throughout her career.

Her success helped revolutionize talk shows and helped her create an empire. Winfrey started her own TV network, OWN, in 2011.

She became the world's first Black billionaire and now has an estimated net worth of $3 billion, Forbes reported.

DeGeneres' character on the sitcom "Ellen" (1994-1998) came out as gay in 1997. She was the first actress to do this, and the coming out was also in sync with DeGeneres' real-life announcement of her sexuality, which was shared on an iconic Time magazine cover on April 14, 1997.

"The Puppy Episode," where she came out, aired on April 30, but it caused a stir among conservative organizations and sponsors before it was even broadcast. The groundbreaking two-part episode became a phenomenon, though, with an outstanding number of views.

However, "Ellen" had "parental advisory" warnings on the following episodes and was canceled after its fifth season in 1998. Both DeGeneres and Laura Dern, who guest-starred on "The Puppy Episode," couldn't find work for a couple of years after the episode.

DeGeneres had a revival and new phase of her successful TV career, though, with her talk show, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (2003-2022). She's beloved by audiences and uses the tagline "be kind to one another," although accusations by guests and crew members in 2020 painted a less-than-kind picture of the host. In a letter to staff that July, DeGeneres said she was "disappointed to learn" that people working for her did not feel happy or respected.

The show ended in 2022  after running for 19 seasons.

Kerry Washington played Olivia Pope, a White House communications director, on the acclaimed political drama "Scandal" (2012-2018). She was the first Black female lead in a network TV series since 1974, when Teresa Graves played a police officer on "Get Christie Love!"

Washington's performance highlighted the importance of seeing Black women in multidimensional leading roles. Washington won her first BET Award for best actress in 2013 for her role.

While Viola Davis is perhaps best known for her work on the big screen, she made great strides on TV, too. Starting at the age of 49, Davis played the role of a lawyer and criminal law professor in "How to Get Away with Murder" (2014-2020).

Davis became the first Black woman to win an Emmy for lead actress in a drama series in 2015.

In 2018, Davis' "How to Get Away with Murder" and Kerry Washington's "Scandal" had a monumental crossover episode, bringing two powerhouse actresses and characters together.

Davis has received an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Oscar, and a Tony Award.

Alfre Woodard was the first Black actress to play a US president on TV in "State of Affairs" (2014-2015). Her role mimicked actual possibilities and her real-life experience of previously working in politics.

She has also been widely recognized for her work since the 1980s, winning a Golden Globe and four Emmys, and earning nominations for two Grammys, a BAFTA, and an Academy Award.

In 1975, Lynda Carter took on the role of Wonder Woman, becoming one of the first female superheroes on television. (Cathy Lee Crosby previously played the character in a TV movie of the same name).

Carter led the series until 1979 and is still considered one of the most iconic actresses to have played the part, with the role not welcoming a new face until 2017 with Gal Gadot.

Carter also appeared in a post-credits scene in Gadot's "Wonder Woman: 1984."

Jodie Whittaker made history in 2017 when she became the first woman to play the Doctor in "Doctor Who."

Her episode debut brought in the biggest "Doctor Who" audience in over a decade, with 8.2 million viewers, Bustle reported; and she quickly became a fan-favorite.

Whittaker helped design her character's costume and decided to make it comfortable and gender non-specific, specifically with fans in mind, according to an interview with Radio Times.

She left the series in 2022.

In 2007, Candis Cayne played a transgender mistress on ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money," which was groundbreaking because she was an LGBTQ+ actress playing an LGBTQ+ character, rather than a cis actor playing a transgender person.

Her role helped set the landscape for more transgender actors to be hired for meaningful roles.

Cayne didn't realize the impact of her presence on TV until the 2017 GLAAD Media Awards when a scene of hers was played and the audience erupted in applause.

"That was the first time I realized, 'Yeah, this is a lot more than me just getting a gig. This is moving our community forward.' So it was impactful, finally, in that moment," Cayne told "Today" in 2021.

Transgender actress Nicole Maines was the first person to play a transgender superhero on TV.

Maines played reporter turned superhero Dreamer on CW's "Supergirl" (2015-2021), breaking more boundaries for the trans community.

Before this contribution to the superhero universe, Maines was also in documentaries about the trans experience.

"I've been doing a lot of auditions lately because a lot of different shows have been really eager to tell the story of transgender people," Maines said at Comic-Con in 2018.

Maines has most recently appeared in the second season of "Yellowjackets."

Laverne Cox is one of the figureheads of the transgender community because of her contributions to entertainment and transgender representation and activism during her career.

She's best known for her role as inmate Sophie on Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black" (2013-2019). Cox was the first transgender actress to be nominated for an Emmy in 2014, and she banked three nominations throughout the show's run.

She executive-produced the TV special "Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word" and won a Daytime Emmy for it in 2015, becoming the first transgender woman to win the award. And in 2016, she played Frank N. Furter (a part originally played by a cis actor, Tim Curry) in the TV special remake "The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again."

Cox has appeared in multiple comedy and drama shows and was most recently in Amazon Prime Video's "Chrome Jesus" (2025).

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez appeared in shows like "Nurse Jackie" and "The Carrie Diaries" before her big role in "Pose" (2018-2021).

"Pose" (2018-2021) followed the stories of drag performers and transgender people during the ballroom scene in the '80s and '90s. Its cast was predominantly made up of LGBTQ+ actors, including Rodriguez, Billy Porter, Indya Moore, and Dominique Jackson. 

Rodriguez was nominated for an Emmy in 2021, and in 2022 she became the first transgender person to win a Golden Globe.

In 2018, Janet Mock made history as the first transgender woman of color to write for a television show: Ryan Murphy's "Pose." She was also a producer and director for the series.

"So it's an indescribable feeling to be on set sitting in a chair with my name on it, directing a script that I also wrote, watching these actresses, some of whom have never been on a set before, be given a chance to truly shine," Mock wrote for Variety ahead of the series' season one premiere.

Sandra Oh is best known for her 10-year-arc playing Dr. Cristina Yang on "Grey's Anatomy" (2005-present). She also played MI5 security officer Eve Polastri on "Killing Eve" (2018-2022).

Oh was the first Asian woman to host the Golden Globes in 2019, and ultimately became the second Asian woman to win a Golden Globe for best actress at that same ceremony. The first was Yoko Shimada, who won nearly 40 years prior for her role in "Shōgun."

"I don't think I can explain to you how profound I feel it meant to not only myself and my parents, but for a lot of people in my community," Oh said of her win to USA Today in 2019.

Best known for Netflix comedy specials like "Baby Cobra" and "Hard Knock Wife," Ali Wong has gracefully ventured into acting with roles in the romantic comedy "Always Be My Maybe" and the award-winning dark comedy "Beef."

In 2024, for her role in "Beef," Wong became the first Asian woman to win a Primetime Emmy award for a leading role, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. (Sandra Oh previously won an Emmy in a supporting role.)

Wong won the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a limited or anthology series or movie; and as an executive producer on the show, she brought home the Emmy for best limited series, too.

She also made history as the first Asian actress to win the Golden Globe for best actress in a limited series, CNN reported.

The 3LW and "Cheetah Girls" alum joined the cast of "The Real" in 2013, becoming the first Latina to host a daytime talk show in the US.

In 2018, Bailon-Houghton won the Daytime Emmy award for outstanding entertainment talk show host alongside her co-stars, Loni Love, Jeannie Mai, and Tamera Mowry-Housley.

Houghton told OprahMag.com later that year, "We recognize that we are four women of color on television every day, speaking to an audience that includes so many women of color. We have an opportunity to make a difference in history — in the way women of color are viewed. We're in an era where this really matters, and we don't ever want to take that for granted."

After "The Real" was canceled in 2022, Bailon-Houghton worked as co-anchor for "E! News" until late 2023. She also runs her own fashion and accessories brand, La Voûte.

While Ferrera was in the headlines last year for her Oscar nomination for "Barbie," the industry veteran began her career over 20 years ago, appearing in projects like "Real Women Have Curves," "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," "Ugly Betty," and "Superstore."

In 2007, she made history as the first Latina to win a Primetime Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her role as Betty Suarez in "Ugly Betty," E! News reported. The same year, she also won a Golden Globe for best actress in a television series — musical or comedy and a SAG award.

During her Golden Globes speech, Ferrera said, "Thank you to the Hollywood Foreign Press for recognizing the show and this character who is truly bringing a new face to television and such a beautiful message about beauty that lies deeper than what we see."

Ferrera has been vocal about diversity, or the lack thereof, in the industry throughout her career. In a 2024 interview with The New York Times she said it brings her no joy to be the only Latina to win an Emmy in a lead category and that she hopes Latinos can have more opportunities throughout the industry.

"There's a lot out there that is very transactional in terms of checking boxes to claim diversity," she said.

Of starring in "Barbie," she added, "One of the most exciting things to me about the movie was, as a Latina woman, being invited to be a part of something so adventurous and joyful and fun. Gloria is Latina, but being Latina was not her reason for being in this story."

At only 24 years old, Mindy Kaling became a staff writer on "The Office," where she was the only woman and person of color on the team. She also starred on the show as Kelly Kapoor.

In a 2019 interview with Elle, Kaling recalled how in order to receive a nomination for outstanding comedy series, the Television Academy required her to "fill out a whole form and write an essay about all my contributions as a writer and a producer," she said. "I had to get letters from all the other male, white producers saying that I had contributed, when my actual record stood for itself."

The Television Academy had originally stated that the show had too many producers to credit, but with her efforts, her name was included in the official nomination.

Kaling went on to become the "first woman of color to create, write, and star in a primetime sitcom" with "The Mindy Project," which aired from 2012 to 2017.

In recent years, Kaling has produced the hit Netflix show "Never Have I Ever," Hulu's "Four Weddings and a Funeral" series, and HBO's "Sex Lives of College Girls." Her latest project is another Netflix series, "Running Point," starring Kate Hudson.

She also runs her own production company, Kaling International.

As the creator, executive producer, and lead in "Abbott Elementary," Brunson's 2022 Emmy nominations included outstanding comedy series, lead actress in a comedy, and writing for a comedy series.

In a 2022 interview with The New York Times, Brunson talked about what sets "Abbott Elementary" apart from other network TV sitcoms.

"There have been recent sitcoms — 'Black-ish,' 'Fresh Off the Boat' — really good sitcoms, but my generation was starting to get tired of race as the only focal point," she said. "The white shows got to just be white, but a lot of the shows with people of color were about the color of the people and not about stories of the people. So 'Abbott' also feels like a shift in that way."

In 2019, she also starred in the first season of HBO's "A Black Lady Sketch Show," the first sketch comedy series written by, directed by, and starring Black women.

Korean actress and model Jung Ho-yeon made history at the 2022 SAG awards when she won outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series for her performance as Kang Sae-byeok in Netflix's "Squid Game."

Her win, along with that of co-star Lee Jung-Jae, made "Squid Game" the first non-English-language television series to win at the SAG awards, Vanity Fair reported.

The show marked Jung Ho-yeon's acting debut, and became one of Netflix's most popular TV show releases to date, drawing 1.65 billion watch hours in its first four weeks, Netflix reported.

At the 2020 Emmy Awards, Zendaya made history when she won the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for her role in "Euphoria." In 2022, she won the award again. In addition to being the second Black actress to win this award, and the first Black actress to win the award twice, she is also the youngest woman to have won the award.

Rue Bennett, Zendaya's character on "Euphoria," has been recognized for providing representation to those struggling with drug addiction. A CNN opinion article discussed the groundbreaking nature of the character, stating, "Most people do not know what a young Black woman experiencing addiction looks like because we are not used to seeing Black women publicly battling anything."

In 2022, Time named her one of the 100 Most Influential People of the year, calling her an "autonomous creative force" and "a cultural icon in the making."

Zendaya returned to filming season three of "Euphoria" in February 2025.

Inspired by her own experience with sexual assault, Michaela Coel created, wrote, produced, co-directed, and starred in the critically acclaimed show "I May Destroy You" in 2020.

That same year, she was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People, with Lena Waithe writing, "Usually, with Black women protagonists, everyone's mission is to make you like or root for them. But Michaela shows us that sometimes we can be our own worst enemy. She reminds me that the only person who can destroy me is myself. She's showing us a piece of ourselves that is rarely captured onscreen."

In 2021, Coel became the first Black woman to win the Emmy for oustanding writing for a limited series, movie, or dramatic special, dedicating the story to "every single survivor of sexual assault."

Coel has also starred in "Chewing Gum," "Black Mirror," and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." Her most recent role was as a guest star in the 2024 television adaptation of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith."

Julia Louis-Dreyfus began her career in 1982 when she joined the cast of "Saturday Night Live" at just 21 years old, People reported.

But the role that truly made her stand out was that of Elaine Benes on "Seinfeld," which aired from 1990 to 1998 and also starred Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards. In 1996, she won her first Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series.

Louis-Dreyfus has gone on to win 10 more Emmys, nine of which came from her work on "Veep," in which she starred as lead Selina Meyer and served as an executive producer throughout its run from 2012 to 2019.

While on "Veep," she won a record-breaking six consecutive Primetime Emmy awards for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series, becoming the actor with the most Emmy wins in a singular role, Entertainment Weekly reported.

Throughout her career, Louis-Dreyfus has also won nine Screen Actors Guild awards and a Golden Globe.

In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2023, she talked about how younger generations are enjoying "Seinfeld" on Netflix.

"I mean, I gotta say, I just think funny is funny! It was superb writing and dare I say, a superb cast that supported the writing — and perhaps even elevated it sometimes," she said.

For more than 25 seasons, fans have listened to the iconic intro of "Law & Order: SVU" and watched as Mariska Hargitay embodied the role of Olivia Benson.

The show is the longest-running drama in American prime time television, with Hargitay's Benson becoming the longest running character ever on a prime-time drama series, People reported in 2024.

Two years prior, Hargitay spoke about her character's longevity in an appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show."

"I feel very satisfied, sated, because I'm having I think more fun now than I ever have. So I feel grateful. I love my cast. I love them, they're like family now," she said. "I'm also mostly grateful that the show that's the longest running show on television is about believing victims and so that for me is the most rewarding thing."

"Are you more of a Carrie or a Miranda?" "Are you Team Big or Team Aidan?"

These are the kinds of questions that entered public conversation during and after the airing of "Sex and the City," the influential, albeit problematic, show about four women in their 30s and 40s navigating their careers, relationships, and friendships. The original series aired between 1998 and 2004.

Sarah Jessica Parker played protagonist and narrator Carrie Bradshaw. Parker won a total of six Golden Globes, four for best actress in a comedy series and two for best television series — musical or comedy. She also won two Primetime Emmy awards and three Screen Actors Guild awards.

"Sex and the City" was groundbreaking in its open discussion of women's issues and sex, though it has since been criticized for its lack of diversity, with writer Hunter Harris describing the show as "simultaneously progressive and regressive, where people of color were either stereotypes or punchlines" in a 2018 article for Refinery29.

The show was rebooted in 2021 as "And Just Like That..." with Parker reprising her role as Carrie Bradshaw in a series that seemingly attempts to overcome the original version's shortcomings.

In 2017, Waithe became the first Black woman to win the Primetime Emmy for comedy writing thanks to the episode "Thanksgiving" in "Master of None," which was co-written with Aziz Ansari.

In her acceptance speech, Waithe addressed her LGBTQIA "family" with the message, "The things that make us different, those are our superpowers. Every day when you walk out the door, put on your imaginary cape and go out there and conquer the world, because the world would not be as beautiful as it is if we weren't in it."

Alaqua Cox is the first Indigenous woman to play a superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Cox plays the lead in Marvel's miniseries "Echo," which centers on the character Maya Lopez (Echo), a deaf Native American superhero.

Cox, who is a deaf amputee woman of Menominee and Mohican descent, told Teen Vogue in January 2024, "I'm so happy that Indigenous people are showing our authentic stories and breaking down barriers. I grew up never seeing myself represented on the screen. I'm excited for audiences — kids especially — to see people like me with different disabilities or diversities on TV so that they understand they are beautiful just the way they are."

2024 was a landmark year for Lily Gladstone. In January, she became the first Indigenous actress to win a Golden Globe and in July, she became one of the first Indigenous actresses to be nominated for an acting Primetime Emmy.

Gladstone, who was raised on the Blackfeet Reservation, was nominated for outstanding supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or movie for her role as Cam Bentland in the crime drama, "Under the Bridge."

Making history alongside Gladstone as one of the first Indigenous women to be nominated for an acting Primetime Emmy was "True Detective: Night Country" star Kali Reis.

Reis, who is of Wampanoag and Cape Verdean descent, was also nominated for outstanding supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or movie.

She told The Hollywood Reporter in March 2024, "It's really empowering to finally be in a place where I don't feel like I have to keep my head down and not be accepted. I get to represent two very resilient, amazing people that are still here."

WalletHub's 2025 report estimated that it will take $57.7 million to put on the Academy Awards.

This is just a fraction of the money spent by the actual nominees, though. "Wicked" — which is nominated in 10 categories this year, including best picture — had a budget of $150 million, higher than all the other best picture nominees except "Dune: Part Two."

That's not the only high figure associated with the red carpet: Its installation takes 600 hours and a 500-person crew, WalletHub reported.

Celebrities will begin gracing the red carpet several hours before the ceremony's 7 p.m. ET start time.

The estimated cost of each 24-karat gold-plated statue awarded to winners is about $400.

The Academy gives out awards in 24 categories, and a winner is not allowed to sell their statue without first offering to sell it to the Academy for $1, according to its policy.

Each year, the highly anticipated, ultra-glamorous event hosted by Vanity Fair is attended by Hollywood's biggest stars, often after they've had a change of wardrobe.

WalletHub estimates that the value of each goodie bag given to Oscar nominees is $170,000.

But, the "Everybody Wins" bags aren't actually gifted by the Academy, they're the work of LA-based marketing agency Distinctive Assets, PRNewswire reported.

Some of this year's gifts include the full line of Miage skincare products, a four-night stay in the Maldives, a five-star hotel stay in Barcelona, and more than $1 million of "personalized disaster recovery services from Bright Harbor."

"While our gifts may be famous for being fun and fabulous, they also serve as a means to elevate small businesses, minority-owned brands, female entrepreneurs and companies that give back. This year, on the heels of the historically tragic LA fires, we have found even more ways that our celebrity swag can do good in our community," Distinctive Assets founder Lash Fary said, per PRNewswire.

He added, "Whether they pamper themselves or share these bountiful gifts as a care package for a friend who may have recently lost their home, we give these gifts not based on the recipients' needs but out of a desire to brighten someone's day and to acknowledge a job well done."

While A-listers wear multi-million-dollar looks, the cost of dressing a first-timer at the Oscars is $266,000, WalletHub reported.

Because the cost of a look varies based on a person's stardom, the average cost of a look at the Oscars is about $1.5 million.

In 2014, Cate Blanchett made Oscars history when she wore an $18.1 million look; but her $100,000 Armani Privé gown was the least expensive element of her outfit — her jewelry alone was estimated to cost $18 million, per The Hollywood Reporter.

The only person to wear even more expensive jewelry was Lady Gaga in 2019, whose 128-carat yellow diamond Tiffany & Co. necklace cost more than $30 million.

Last year, an average of 21 million people tuned in to watch the show, WalletHub reported. That was a 6% increase from 2023, so it's no surprise that running an ad during the live event's commercial breaks is expensive.

It costs $1.95 million to buy 30-seconds of ad time during the Oscars, WalletHub reported, which is 72% less than the $7 million it cost to run an ad during the Super Bowl.

WalletHub estimated that ABC, the TV network that hosts the awards, makes $127 million in ad revenue on the day of the Oscars.

Upwards of $20 million of that revenue comes from the pre-show red-carpet coverage.

Turns out, winning an Oscar requires much more work than just releasing a movie.

In 2023, The New York Times reported on the competitive nature of Oscars campaigns, in which professional strategists seek to shape public opinion on films, actors, and opponents.

WalletHub estimates that more than $100 million is spent on lobbying each year — that's more than the budgets of best picture nominees "Anora," "The Brutalist," "A Complete Unknown," and "I'm Still Here" combined.

The Academy has gone digital. Rather than paying millions of dollars to send physical copies of the year's nominated pictures to voters, the group has turned to streaming, which costs $20,000 per film, WalletHub reported.

Back when Poehler and Fey were cutting their teeth in the improv circuit, they met at Chicago's ImprovOlympic theater. In her 2014 autobiography, "Yes Please," Poehler recalls meeting Fey for the first time. 

"[ImprovOlympic co-founder Charna Halpern] said there was another new improviser in another one of her classes whom she thought I would really like. Her name was Tina and she was like me but with brown hair," she wrote.

The two had their own show at ImprovOlympic for a bit before joining the legendary "Second City" improv troupe. Since that fateful meeting 30 years ago, the duo has gone on to host the Golden Globes, star in the movie "Sisters" together, and create some of the most beloved "SNL" skits in recent history.

Jada Pinkett Smith first saw Queen Latifah at a club in Baltimore where the then 17-year-old rapper was performing. 

"I'd never seen anyone like her before, this female rapper named Queen Latifah," Pinkett Smith told People in 2017. "I convinced the promoter to let me introduce her."

In the more than 30 years since that night, the two have become best friends, starring in the 1996 film "Set It Off" and 2017's "Girls Trip" together. 

"Jada and I can have whole conversations where we haven't really said anything, but we've said a lot," Latifah told People.

More specifically, it started over a cup of coffee.

Back in the '80s, Diaz, 16 at the time, grabbed a cup of joe from the coffee shop Barrymore worked at. As reported by E! Online, the two maintained a low-key friendship until, in 2002, Barrymore offered Diaz a role on the "Charlie's Angels" reboot she was producing.

Since then, the two have developed an unbreakable bond, with Barrymore telling Entertainment Tonight's Lauren Zima in 2018 that she considers Diaz her sister.

"We have much more of that kind of relationship, we're very honest with each other," Barrymore told ET. "We push each other. And we've had the majority of our lives spent side by side, really going through what real life is, which is an everyday high and low and we just have each other's backs."

In September 2020, Barrymore invited Diaz and fellow "Charlie's Angels" star Lucy Liu to be the first guests on her talk show, and they spoke about their friendship.

"The thing that I love about our friendship is that we have been there in all the big and important moments, we've also been there in the small moments and the casual moments and the reason we are such good friends is because it's real and we go through real stuff with each other. It's not a Hollywood fairytale," Barrymore said.

Over four decades ago, Winfrey and King worked at the same Baltimore news station as a news co-anchor and production assistant, respectively. When a snowstorm prevented King from driving back to her house in the suburbs, Winfrey invited King to stay with her. 

After staying up all night talking, the two quickly moved from colleagues to friends. 

"I believe God put the two of us in each other's path to do exactly what we've been doing since that night in Baltimore when I was 22 and she was 21," Winfrey wrote in a 2019 article for her O Magazine. "Listening. Listening. Talking. Listening. Laughing (a lot). Building dreams. Standing in the gap. Cheering. Being a shoulder to cry on. Supporting. Speaking the truth. Being the truth!"

In September 2021, in her Oprah Daily series "The OG Chronicles: Joy Ride," Winfrey said that King has been on every vacation with her and her longterm partner, Stedman Graham, since 1993.

"The three of us have had a wonderful time," King said in the episode. "If I was the third wheel, I didn't know it! If Stedman didn't like me, that would've been tough."

Winfrey added, "If Stedman didn't like you, Stedman wouldn't have lasted. Husbands and boyfriends come and go. Best friends last forever."

It's a bit serendipitous that Aniston and Cox met on the set of "Friends." After acting alongside each other for a decade, the two developed a special bond that has only strengthened throughout the years. 

Aniston is the godmother of Cox's daughter, Coco, and when Aniston married now ex-husband Justin Theroux in 2015, Cox was her maid of honor.

On February 11, Cox shared a birthday tribute to Aniston on Instagram writing in part, "Happy birthday to my friend for life. Never has there been a more generous, loving, beautiful, talented, funny, loyal friend."

While flying to Mexico to film the movie "Bandidas" in 2004, the actresses' plane had to make a pretty serious emergency landing that involved depressurizing the cabin and wearing oxygen masks. Even worse, the flight was on Halloween, so, naturally, Cruz and Hayek were dressed as clowns. 

"I've never liked clowns, even as a kid, but after this experience [I like them] even less," Cruz told People in 2017.

In the years since, the two have become one of the most adored friendships in Hollywood. They even have a cute nickname for each other, Cruz explained to Allure in 2014.

"She's one of my best friends. We call each other 'huevos' [eggs]," Cruz said. "It was because when we were working together, we didn't have children yet, so we used to sleep much more than now. So it was a way to call each other lazy. We slept in the same bed so many times, and it was like she was always trying to wake me up and call me 'huevos.'"

The "Grace and Frankie" stars began working together more than 40 years ago after Fonda, who was co-producing "9 to 5," stumbled onto Tomlin's one-woman show "Appearing Nitely." 

"What can I say, I was smitten," Fonda said on a 2017 episode of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," adding, "I said I don't want to make a movie about secretaries unless she's in it."

In addition to the time they've spent together on screen, Fonda and Tomlin are dedicated climate activists — Tomlin was arrested at one of Fonda's climate protests in 2019. Together they've answered the internet's most searched questions about themselves and even did a TED Talk in 2016 celebrating their decades-long friendship.

Despite often competing for the same roles, Lathan and Hall became such good friends that they refer to each other as their "human diaries."

In 2018, Hall was recognized at the Step Up Inspiration Awards for her commitment to mentoring young women in Los Angeles. Lathan presented Hall with the award and dedicated a heartfelt Instagram post to her friend.

"Had the pleasure of honoring my bestie @morereginahall today at the Step Up inspiration awards ... So proud of you Regina you inspire me and so many others. Love u and congratulations!" Lathan wrote at the time. 

Watts' and Kidman's 30-year friendship started while filming the 1991 movie "Flirting," but the two had known of each other for many years. They actually attended the same high school and were part of the same Australian theater company. 

"We've gone through a lot together over a significant amount of time. That history binds you," Watts told People in 2017. "We have a strong respect and love for one another."

In the 20 years since Busy Philipps and Michelle Williams met, the two have become the definition of friendship goals. 

Williams is the godmother of Philipps' daughter, and she supported her friend after Heath Ledger's death in 2008.

"I'm so in love with her," Williams told People in 2016. "She's proof that the love of your life does not have to be a man! That's the love of my life right there."

In Jennette McCurdy's 2022 memoir, "I'm Glad My Mom Died," the Nickelodeon star shared details about the beginning of her friendship with Cosgrove. She referred to their friendship as a "source of camaraderie and emotional support" during her difficult childhood. 

According to McCurdy, after meeting Cosgrove on the set of iCarly, the two spent hours each day talking on AIM. She recalls being drawn to Cosgrove's "distinct and hilarious personality."

"So many of the things she said made me laugh," McCurdy wrote. "Her way of observing things — people, habits, human nature. I loved her. And I was so excited we were becoming friends."

In 2022, McCurdy told Entertainment Tonight, "I love Miranda to pieces. I always will. She has such a special place in my heart."

Of their more recent friendship, she said, "We totally still keep in touch — not as often as we used to. We used to be attached at the hip."

She added, "But I'm always rooting for her."

Cosgrove also spoke to E! News in 2022 about McCurdy's decision not to join the "iCarly" reboot, stating that it is a "different show without the Sam character."

"If she ever wanted to come back, of course, the door would always be open," Cosgrove said.

Hudson and Tyler both attended the Crossroads School For Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica during the '90s, The List reported. The two have been best friends ever since. 

Early in their careers, the two co-starred in the movie "Dr. T and the Women," in which they share an on-screen kiss. On "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" in 2017, Hudson said the two still talk about their kiss all the time.

"We're like, 'We should've gone for it more.' It was so sweet, you know? It was such a sweet kiss. We should've just really made out," she said.

Remini first met Lopez in 2004 because she and her husband, Angelo Pagán, were close with Marc Anthony, Lopez's boyfriend at the time. Remini remembers being wowed the first time she met J Lo. 

"He was like, 'She's the love of my life, blah, blah, blah,'" Remini recalled in a 2018 interview with The Los Angeles Times. "As I was walking up to the table, I was like, 'Ugh, God, you're even prettier in real life.' She started laughing, and I was like, 'Ugh, and you have a sense of humor even?'"

The two became fast friends and have been frequently spotted in public together in the years since. Lopez stood by her friend and supported Remini's decision to leave the church of Scientology in 2013. Five years later the duo starred in their first movie together, the romantic comedy "Second Act." 

Remini told The LA Times she said yes to her role before even reading the script because she trusted Lopez so much. 

Before becoming royalty, Meghan Markle met tennis star Serena Williams at the Super Bowl in 2010. Their friendship began to blossom when they met for a second time in 2014 — once again, at the Super Bowl. Markle became an avid supporter of Williams, attending many of her tennis matches and celebrating her wins.

Soon after the beginning of their friendship, Markle discussed their bond on her now-defunct blog, "The Tig," stating, "We are both the same age, have a penchant for hot sauces and adore fashion, but what connects us more than those things is perhaps our belief in exceeding expectations – our endless ambition."

In 2017, when Williams announced her pregnancy with her daughter, Markle told Vogue, "She will be an amazing mom. The very best, because she is so attuned to balancing strength and sensitivity."

Williams attended the royal wedding in 2018, and documented the experience on Instagram, writing, "So my friend is getting married today... I've known her for so many years, and I'm so happy for her."

And in 2022, Markle shared the first episode of her podcast, "Archetypes," with Williams as her guest.

When Markle asked her why she agreed to do the podcast, Williams said, "I love you, believe in you. We've been friends for so long. I'm super loyal, you know that."

In 2008, Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez dated Joe and Nick Jonas, respectively, and quickly became close friends. In 2017, Gomez joked that their long-lasting friendship "was the best thing we got out of those relationships."

When Swift released her album "1989" in 2014, Gomez posted a collage of photos of the two of them on Instagram, writing, "From hotel room album listening parties, kitchen dance floor album listening parties to driving on the pch, windows down album listening parties. -The best part is we were the only ones there. Each time. So happy, honored and proud to know you and your diaries."

Swift sent Gomez a cake for her birthday in 2018, referencing one of Gomez's songs in her Instagram post, writing, "Will I let distance stop me from celebrating my best friend's bday? I MEAN I COULD BUT WHY WOULD I WANT 2."

And in 2022, Gomez referred to Swift as her "only friend" in the music industry, telling Rolling Stone, "I never fit in with a cool group of girls that were celebrities. My only friend in the industry really is Taylor [Swift], so I remember feeling like I didn't belong."

It's no secret that Khloé Kardashian has been through a lot. Luckily, her best friend, Malika Haqq, has been by her side since they were only 15 years old.

Cosmopolitan reported that Kardashian referenced their friendship's beginning on her blog, writing, "Malika was dating one of my male best friends. He would always keep us apart because I am sure he knew we would just hit it off. One day we met and we did. Malika and [her twin sister] Khadijah have been my best friends ever since."

Since then, they've embraced not only life's struggles, but its successes, too. One highlight of their friendship came in 2018 when they collaborated on BECCA Cosmetics' BFF Collection. In an interview with Bustle in 2019, the pair explained that their long-standing friendship made working together an easy process.

"We know our strengths and our weaknesses — who is stronger at what — and that's a blessing of a real friendship," Kardashian told the outlet.

The two are still going strong, with Haqq recently supporting Kardashian at the launch of her perfume, XO Khloé, in December.

"It never gets old to see you shine or they people love and support you. YOU deserve it all," she wrote on Instagram.

Lawrence and Stone's friendship famously began with a shared "stalker" they called "John the Orchestra Guy."

"Jennifer Lawrence and I both had the same stalker, John the Orchestra Guy," Stone told W magazine in 2018. "He would text us both and say things like 'I'm running late on my way to the soundstage. Can you warm up the orchestra for me? Text me back and let me know you got this.' He wasn't really a stalker. He must have worked at a studio or something because he had a lot of people's numbers."

Lawrence and Stone ended up texting every day for a year before finally deciding to meet in person — only to fear that they'd been unknowingly communicating with "John the Orchestra Guy" the whole time. A quick phone call revealed it wasn't him, and the two have remained close ever since.

Last year, Lawrence displayed her affection for Stone at the Golden Globes. The friends were both nominated for best actress in a motion picture comedy or musical: Lawrence for "No Hard Feelings" and Stone for "Poor Things."

When Lawrence's name was read during the award nominations, she jokingly mouthed to the camera, "If I don't win, I'm leaving," Variety reported. However, when she lost to Stone moments later, she immediately jumped to her feet to clap and cheer.

2024 was the year of Victoria Monét and Ariana Grande, but their friendship actually started over a decade ago when Grande was beginning to work on her debut album, "Yours Truly," StyleCaster reported.

Monét helped write the album's first track "Honeymoon Avenue," and has since contributed to some of Grande's biggest hits like "Be Alright," "thank u, next," and "34 + 35." The two even have a song together called "MONOPOLY," where they sing, "I'm so thankful working with my best friend, she the cheat code."

The besties have repeatedly been supportive of each other's career growth. E! News reported that Grande was quick to praise Monét's Grammy wins last year on her Instagram story, writing, "My friend you deserve this one million times over. I am so deeply proud and happy for you there are no words. You have worked so hard and given so much of yourself to this industry for so, so long while quietly being in your absolute own league."

Monét returned the support after the premiere of "Wicked" in November 2024, writing on Instagram, "What a CLASSIC!!! What a CAST!!! It is absolutely incredible we are obsessed," adding "all my sincerest congratulations just WOW" to Grande and costar Cynthia Erivo.